Is Europeanization of Employee Relations Fostering by EWCs? An assessment by the Greek Social Partners
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Abstract
The EU 94/45/EC Directive on European Works Councils (EWCs) provides the establishment of a social partnership forum within Multinational Enterprises (MNEs). The Directive gives employees the right of information and consultation with the transnational management. This paper assesses certain of a research project on the implementation of EWC Directive in food/beverage and oil/lubricants companies in Greece. Furthermore, this paper examines whether EWCs foster the Europeanization of employee relations at the company level and evaluates the pertinent determining factors, using interviews with social partners’ representatives. The results show that EWCs strengthen social partners’ supra-national co-ordination, promote transnational HR policies, help the emergence of a European IR System, upgrade bi-partite communication and replicate employee relations within MNEs’ subsidiaries.
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